[galpinos]

Reckon it will be busy next weekend, but OK if you have touring kit , and due to the long run of good conditions they have had - pretty much fully open since Xmas, there isn't the mad rush when conditions are good like there used to be.

Yep, if I'm out on skis, it'll be touring. Might en up climbing out west though we'll have to see. Had a cracking day out on Beinn Bhan last weekend so I'm keen to keep up the winter climbing mojo.

My superlightweight touring set-up isn't exactly ideal for powder though. I'll just have to gloat lots on the up to make up for the ribbing on the descent as I follow my mates carving lovely big free-ride turns, only able to bounce down like an Austrian from 1974 without the style.

[Norton Sharley]

 

[chummer]

PLEASE HELP!
I'm off boarding tomorrow and I am just trying to mount my bindings to my board (both new)but am lost as to what angles I should use and whether to have them set more towards the front slightly or back, my binding don't seem to be able to go dead centre on my board. I will be mainly on the piste for starters but will definitely heading off piste ASAP. I am a novice but I skateboarded alot for about 12years to a good level and seem to be picking up the snow version pretty quickly to say the least (oooh, get me..) and with this my natural stance seems to be with both my feet angles outwards quite a bit, my front maybe ever so slightly more so; I seem to be a bit bow legged from all that skating.
Also (yes indeedy, there's more) my boots overhang the board and I'm sure I heard this is to be avoided. Any advice is fully appreciated as I have only this eve to sort this as I'm on the slopes tomorrow. I understand I can tweak my set up once I'm out there but want to at least get on the right tracks (see what I did there..) setting it up initially.
Than you in advance
Jon

[Adam Lincoln]

Personally, i have a flat front foot, and my back foot slightly angles out, by maybe 5 degrees. If your going to be riding powder you want the bindings further towards the back as you need to lift your nose more in the deep stuff 

Its all very personal, and have some mates who ride duck stance. Not great for powder though.

Where you off?

[chummer]

Val d'Isere. Canny wait.
Hmmm, my feet defo point outward naturally so I'll go with them I suppose. Any advice on the boot overhanging the board business? Is it worse to have heel or toe overhang? Could it be that my board is too narrow?

[chummer]

Also (God I'm very demanding this evening..) should I wax my board tonight or leave the factory wax on for the first day and wax it that night? I should point out that the board is 'new' well actually about 3 years old (old stock) but I can see waxyness when i scape my nail over the base.

[andy_e]

Most people have 15/15 I think.

I'm off snowboarding at Tegness next week. Oh wait, no, sorry, Tignes.

[Norton Sharley]

I would thoroughly recommend a duck stance for all riding.  Try at least 30^o included angle, e.g. 15^o forward front, 15^o back on back binding.  I ride +21 front -18 back.  An all round set up might be 1" back, freestyle 0" back, powder 2" back.  If you skate duck, set up duck on your board.  Squat up and down adjusting your stance width and feet angle until you have something you can comfortably reach the front and back edges as if grabbing then use that to set your stance width.  As a rule of thumb your thigh bones should line up with your feet when fully flexed down, i.e. grabbing, but I would end up with +30 -30 if I used this so clearly it doesn't work for all.

Your board shouldn't need waxing for a while if it's got the factory wax on.  Scrape a finger nail over the base.   If you can see faint 'tracks' then there's enough wax.  If not get it waxed out there, they know what they're doing better.   

[Adam Lincoln]

If not get it waxed out there, they know what they're doing better.   

And cheaper!

[chummer]

Cheers for the knowledge lads, I presume duck stance means both feet pointed outwards? What about the boot over hanging the board, is it bast to have more of the heel than the toe overhanging or t'other way round or just try and make the overhang equal for both?

[lagerstarfish]

equal

[Adam Lincoln]

Cheers for the knowledge lads, I presume duck stance means both feet pointed outwards?

Duck stance


As for boot overhanging, hard to tell without seeing how much by...

[lagerstarfish]

The word from McNab on stance

http://www.0-21.co.uk/index.php/Setting-your-Stance.html

[chummer]

Sorry for moidering you but my internet searches just seemed to give conflicting info. I'm nearly there and it's making sence so thanks alot for the help.

One last thing, Norton you mentioned an all round set up would be 1" back so I presume the front binding is centered but which slot (that the screws go through to fix the binding to the board, there's 2 of them for my 4x4) in the disk do you line up with the measurement on the board, is it the inner most one?

[chummer]

It probably easiest if you tell me which holes (out of the line of 6) i should put my screws into for an all round set up, for each binding counting back from the inner most. I promise this is my last question and I thank you for your time helping a punter like me. 

[Norton Sharley]

Normally boards have a marker to show which is the centre set of holes.  If there is no marker the holes are likely to be set centred.  To check measure from the front, or back, set of holes to the front, or back, of the effective edge.  That is to the widest part of the board at the front, or back, but  not to the actual nose or tail as the nose and tail length will be different.  If the distance to the effective edge is the same front and back then the holes are centred.

To be honest put the bindings on and see how it feels.  Be prepared to change them until you have a set up that you are happy with and go too wide and bigger angles than you think to start with.

Your toe / heel overhang should be the same.  If you have decent bindings you can set this with the high back position rather than by moving the bindings from side to side across the board which generally indicates that something is very wrong, e.g. wrong width board for your boot size, too much high back lean pushing the boots forward etc.

The word from McNab on stance

http://www.0-21.co.uk/index.php/Setting-your-Stance.html

Word, he's the Man.

[SA Chris]

A word on binding angles - strap in and get someone to stand on the board so you don't tip over. Then crouch down as low as you can comfortably (keeping spine upright (no poostance!)). If you feel any strain across your cruciate ligaments (outside of knees) the setup is dangerous and you can trash the ligaments if you take a tumble. Not that you won't still if the setup is right, but this lessens your chances!

I like plus 15 on front and minus 6 or so on the back.

If you have too much overhang the board may be a bit small for your feet and or bindings. This may be a problem only if you are carving hard on hard snow, as it can dig in and throw the edge out. What Is your footsize and how wide is the board at the waist?

[SA Chris]

My superlightweight touring set-up isn't exactly ideal for powder though. I'll just have to gloat lots on the up to make up for the ribbing on the descent as I follow my mates carving lovely big free-ride turns, only able to bounce down like an Austrian from 1974 without the style.

I hear you. Aparently Atomic Beta Rides aren't cutting edge powder tools.

[galpinos]

My superlightweight touring set-up isn't exactly ideal for powder though. I'll just have to gloat lots on the up to make up for the ribbing on the descent as I follow my mates carving lovely big free-ride turns, only able to bounce down like an Austrian from 1974 without the style.

I hear you. Aparently Atomic Beta Rides aren't cutting edge powder tools.

You on BetaRides too or an ispired guess? I can't justify buying some new touring skis with the amount I ski now. I'll just have to stick with the dynafit/atomic combo.

[SA Chris]

Bit of column A, bit of column B. I've got the R9:22s with fritshi bindings, and guessed as they were the touring ski of choice of about 6 years ago you would have similar. Likewise they are still in too good a condition and used too rarely to justify buying some phat new ones.

[Norton Sharley]

Wow, wow, wow, boys 

Bit like talking chuffing on the bouldering channel that I'm afraid 

[galpinos]

Bit of column A, bit of column B. I've got the R9:22s with fritshi bindings, and guessed as they were the touring ski of choice of about 6 years ago you would have similar. Likewise they are still in too good a condition and used too rarely to justify buying some phat new ones.

I thought with your Snowboarding pedigree you'd be on a pair of "Narrow-Ass-Snowboards" as they're on a buy one get one free promotion. http://lib-tech.com/nas/pow/

[Norton Sharley]

Not quite sure I get that.  Why would I want to ski on a pair of Libs, albeit when one is free, when I can ride a Lib board?  I have to say the best board I have ever owned by a mile was a Lib. 

[SA Chris]

When I got the skis I was still very much a skier who snowboarded, not the other way round. Also unconvinced by LT Making skis, the same way as i am unconvinced by their cambered boards with wobbly sides. Pre mangatraction etc they were lovely boards.

[andy_e]

TIGNES TOMORROW YYFY!